A proposal to hire a construction manager for a new high school in Barrow County was derailed briefly Tuesday over a proposal in the state legislature that would give the technical college system control of the Career, Technical and Agricultural programs now in public schools.
Lynn Stevens, the board’s vice chair, raised the topic, which comes from a bill proposed by Rep. Terry England, R-Auburn. England is the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
Stevens complained that England has not talked to Barrow County officials about the bill. “Someone’s got some explaining to do,” Stevens said after the meeting Tuesday.
The proposal, which would transfer the CTAE programs in public schools to the Technical College System of Georgia, was among the recommendations of the House Rural Development Council, a study committee to help with growth in rural areas.
If the program were transferred, it would no longer be under the authority and control of the state Department of Education.
Stevens characterized the issue as a political fight between Gov. Nathan Deal and the state Board of Education.

The bill would affect the program at Sims Academy of Innovation & Technology, the district’s college and career academy. It includes most of the district’s CTAE programs. The current budget for Sims is about $2.4 million.
The board approved hiring Bowen & Watson as the “construction manager at risk” for planning of a new high school adjacent to Sims Academy. The firm’s bid was $1.3 million.
Six other companies submitted bids with prices from $1.45 million to $1.6 million.
Stevens first suggested that action might need to be delayed because of England’s bill.
Board member Garey Huff Sr. asked if her concern was that “in a worst case,” Sims might become a traditional high school. She agreed.
However, the board approved the choice because Joe Perno, the assistant superintendent for system operations, said the district would not pay any money on the contract until construction work starts. That is expected to be late summer, at least, or fall.
Stevens said she would like to know why England “has not brought this to the board. She said the bill raises “serious concerns” and she needs “some clarification from him.”
See the full story in the Feb. 7 edition of the Barrow News-Journal.

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